Four of us got together to play a BKC Stalingrad slum crawl. We used FOW 15mm minis that the guys have and played on my basement table (5x9 ping pong table.)
Here’s the battlefield from the Russian side.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=21052744... Here it is from the German side.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=21052751... There were no clear lines of sight which made things interesting.
The objective was to control the majority of the five central buildings. After seeing the battlefield each side picked their forces. There was a blind hanging down between the sides. This prevented seeing exactly where the other side was setting up and what units they were fielding. We allowed set up to be within 10 inches of the center line of the table.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=21061420... To make things really interesting, and in keeping with the Stalingrad theme, we allowed two snipers per side. (FWC type rules for the snipers. Boy! was that an interesting twist.)
The Germans brought infantry, a couple of Stugs, some anti-tank guns, artillery, and Stukas. The Russians came equipped for a knife fight; with loads of infantry and artillery. The look on the German commanders’ faces was worth it when they found out there were no T-34s to hunt.
After we set up and revealed we grilled burgers, had a typical Memorial Day lunch. Then we had at it.
The Germans got the first move. The FAO and FAC saw a couple of Russian units in the open. One small unit was decimated by artillery and Stukas. The other swatted the Stukas away like they flies to be ignored. The German infantry advanced and started to occupy the buildings flanking the square.
The Russians preplanned artillery dropped smoke across the front of the German line.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=21080271... Then the infantry moved forward to attempt to occupy the center square. Of course with the command structure of the Russians, they didn’t get as far as the Commissars demanded.
On turn 2 the German FAO and FAC were enveloped in smoke and decided to move. As the FAC broke cover a single shot rang out and the team dove for cover. Damn snipers! They couldn’t get to an advantageous spot for the next turn. Meanwhile the FAO got onto the second floor of a flanking building and prepared for the next fire mission.
Using the Russian smoke for concealment, the German infantry advanced to the edge of the central square. On the flanks the infantry moved forward to occupy critical positions. The Stugs, with no enemy armor in sight, moved forward to support the infantry.
The Russians again barraged the German line with preplanned smoke, shifting it slightly. A unit on the right moved forward and engaged the Germans that were beginning to occupy a block. After a bloody hand to hand close combat the Russian unit emerged victorious having destroyed the advancing Germans. This was the same Russian unit that had previously been hammered by artillery and Stukas.
On the Russian left the militia began to move forward. Engineers and convicts attempted to occupy one of the critical central square buildings.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=21080260... Again, the rigid command structure slowed the advance.
Turn 3 and the Germans let loose. The FAC couldn’t communicate with the aircraft and nothing came in. The FAO got in touch with a nebelwerfer unit and called in a bombardment on the Russians in the nearby square. The barrage came right on target….. A very big target. Bigger than the FAO realized as rockets pounded his own position and the front line of the German infantry in the square. The infantry commander was not pleased. Thankfully there was no permanent damage done. And it dissipated some of the infernal Russian smoke.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=21080760... On the German right flank the infantry in the building and supporting Stugs had a field day. The Russian infantry was held up in the front of the building. Concentrated fire made mincemeat of the unit.
Finally the Russian smoke subsided. The right flank unit consolidated and prepared to assault the main building on the right of the square. On the left flank the engineers and convicts pushed forward. To the rear a supporting unit moved forward to get into the action. A sniper was able to suppress a German command unit.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=21081893... The unit in the open attempted to subdue the Germans in the building, but with the heavy cover that was not possible without getting into hand to hand. They decided to hole up and await the advancing support unit.
Turn 4 and the FAO and FAC got into the action. BOTH BLUNDERED! Evidently they were still rattled from the sniper and incoming friendly fire.
On the German right the infantry again let loose on the Russians in the field and ripped them apart. The center infantry advanced and occupied the building in the center square.
The Russians then continued to advance. On the Russian right the infantry advanced into the side building on the square and prepared for hand to hand. On the left the reserves started to arrive to back up the engineers and convicts. In the center the infantry advanced to surround the central building in preparation for the final assault. More reserve infantry arrived to back them up.
Turn 5 and the Germans realized they were in an untenable position. The mass of Russians coming were far more than they could handle. Even though they got to the important buildings first, they did not have the strength to hold them. At that point the German Commanders resigned.
All in all a great time was had by all. Most of our BKC gaming has been done with 6mm. This was our first major foray into 15mm.
Adding the snipers for Stalingrad was interesting to say the least. People were very careful when and how they moved their command units less they be suppressed and stopped in their tracks.
Here are all the pictures of the day.
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.210561... BKC is going over well with the gang.